The Rainaldi Quartet - Hardcover

Adam, Paul

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 031235004X ISBN 13: 9780312350048

Publisher: Minotaur Books, 2006

Synopsis

Who would want to kill Tomaso Rainaldi, an elderly, unassuming violin-maker in the quiet Italian city of Cremona? For his friend and fellow violin-maker Gianni Castiglione, the murder is as mysterious as it is shocking. Rainaldi had few possessions, no enemies and little money. No one - least of all the police - can fathom a motive for murdering him. All he really had was an obsessive love of violins and an encyclopedic knowledge of them.

But what if he knew more than anyone else - not just about famous violins, but about missing violins? Ones of the caliber of the fabled Messiah, Stradivari's most sublime creation, the Mona Lisa of the music world. A violin now in the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford - and worth millions...
Aided by his friend, policeman Antonio Guastafeste, Gianni starts to investigate the dead man's affairs. Affairs that reveal an appointment in Venice with the eccentric and exceedingly rich violin-collector Enrico Forlani, and a trail that winds back to a mysterious musical past - and a far from harmonious future.
Retracing Rainaldi's steps, the two men find themselves involved in a sequence of startling events -- another murder, a mysterious Englishman, and an unscrupulous violin-dealer. A chain of events that careers across Italy and England as they become players in a game where musical instruments change hands for millions, forgery is an art form, and the preferred method of negotiation is murder.

Accompanied by two centuries of myth, music, and mystery, The Rainaldi Quartet provides a fascinating glimpse into a closed world - played at a rhythm that is fast-paced, furious, and unforgettable.

About this title

About the Author

PAUL ADAM grew up in the north of England, and studied law at Nottingham University. He began his writing career as a journalist and has worked in Rome as well as England. He has written nine novels, including Unholy Trinity,Shadow Chasers, Genesis II, and Flash Point. He lives in Sheffield, England, with his wife and two children.

Review

Praise for PAUL ADAM and THE RAINALDI QUARTET

"A fascinating historical journey into the mystery of a legendary lost Stradivarius violin." -The Sunday Telegraph (UK)

"From the first stirring theme to the last fading chord, mystery fans and music lovers alike will be captivated by British author Adam's excellent contemporary thriller. ... Adam has constructed this tale with all the care and craftsmanship that Stradivari put into his instruments, filling it to the brim with deliciously caustic commentary on Italian city life and fascinating historical detail." -Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"Tension that resonates like flawlessly tuned strings... complex and sumptuously pleasing." -The Guardian (UK)

"A distinctly atmospheric thriller" -The Mail on Sunday (UK)

"Riveting stuff that goes to the heart of the matter.... [The Rainaldi Quartet] is a deeply satisfying book." -Literary Review (UK)

"Wonderfully plotted, fast-paced, and refreshingly original." -Nelson DeMille on Flash Point



From the first stirring theme to the last fading chord, mystery fans and music lovers alike will be captivated by British author Adam's excellent contemporary thriller. Gianni Castiglione, a violin maker who lives in rural Italy, plays in a string quartet with fellow luthier Rainaldi, parish priest Father Arrighi and police detective Guastafeste. When Rainaldi is murdered after dropping hnits about a search for a rare and magnificent violin, Father Arrighi conducts the funeral and Guastafeste investigates, aided by Castiglione's thorough knowledge of violin construction and history. As they travel across Italy and England tracking down clues and suspects, a rich and subtle story unfolds. Adam has constructed this tale with all the care and craftsmanship that Stradivari put into his instruments, filling it to the brim with deliciously caustic commentary on Italian city life and fascinating historical and musical detail. If the mystery itself is slightly less than compelling, it's becaus (Publishers Weekly)

About this edition

• Publisher: Minotaur Books
• Publication date: 2006
• ISBN 10: 031235004X
• ISBN 13: 9780312350048
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 320